Buckle.



N0. 659,9!2. Patented Uct. l6, I900 J. W. BOWMAN.

BUCKLE.

(Application filed May 29, 1900.

(No Moder.)

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,912, dated October16, 1900.

Application filed May 29, 1900. Serial No. 18,428. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Union Star, in the county of De Kalb and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Buckles, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in buckles of that class or stylewherein a bail is employed as the means for securing and retaining thefree or detachable end of the strap or material to which the buckle isconnected.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, andreliable device to permit the easy and free movement of the strap andallow the same to be expeditiously released and securely fastened. Themeans by which I accomplish this object will be fully describedhereinafter and the novelty thereof particularly pointed out in theclaims.

I fully and clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein-- Figure l is a side view of my device, show-' ing thebuckle closed and the strap held in place. Fig. 2 is a side View of thebuckle, showing the bail in upturned position to allow the easywithdrawal of the strap. Fig. 3 is aplan view showing the bail in theturned down position, as in Fig. l, the strap being removed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the buckle,preferably rectangular in form and consisting of front and rear bars 1 2and side bars34, formed integral with the end bars. Upon the rear bar 2is pivotally secured the tongue 5 in the usual way.

In the side bars of the buckle-frame and in advance of the rear bar 2are formed oppositely-arranged and alining bearing-holes 6 6, in whichthe inward ends 7 7 of a bail 8 are pivotally disposed, so that the bailmay be readily swung from a holding to a released position. In orderthat the bail may be held in locked or clamped position on thedetachable end ofthe strap,I form horizontal grooves 9 i) in the outerside faces of the frame, which grooves extend from the pintle-bearingsof the bail to the inner end of the side bars of the frame, and in orderthat the bail may snap into the grooves with sufiicient tension Ireinforce the side bars of the buckle, as at a, and make the upper faceedge portions above the grooves cam-shaped or inclined, so that when thebail is turned down the side bars thereof will be spread and on reachingthe grooves will spring into the grooves and there be held withsufficient rigidity to hold the strap down, as in an ordinary bail orkeeper. In order to hold the bail securely in position when turned downover the buckle to release the strap, Iprovide the outer faces of theside bars 3 4 with grooves 10, adapted to receive and retain the bail.

The manipulation and operation of my improved buckle will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with theillustrations of the same in the drawings; but they may be explained asfollows: To connect the free end of the strap to the buckle, the bail isturned up, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the strap ispassed through the buckle over the front barin the usual wellknownmanner until the desired tension is attained, when the tongue of thebuckle is engaged in a hole of the strap, and the loose end portion ofthe strap is passed under the bail until straightened out, when the bailis turned down until it snaps into the side grooves, in which positionit is held and serves all the purposes of the ordinary keeper, and inaddition thereto being m ore conveniently manipulated when it becomesdesirous or necessary to loosen the buckle, since all that is necessaryto accomplish that is to turn the bail upward and the strap is free fromits pressure and grip ready to be pulled forward in position forunbuckling.

The improved buckle as above described is adapted for use with harnessand in any place where a buckle is required to secure a strap.

I claim- 1. A buckle comprising a rectangular frame; a tongue pivotallysecured thereto; a bail pivotally attached to the frame; and means forlocking the bail in engagement with the sides of the frame.

2. Abuckle,comprisingarectangularframe; a tongue pivotally securedthereto; a bail pivotally attached to the frame and means for lockingthe sides of the bail in engagement with the outer sides of the frame.

3. A buckle consisting of a suitable frame grooves, and a bail pivotallysupported in said bearings and adapted to swing down over thecam-surfaces and lodge in the longitudinal grooves.

5. Abuckle, comprisingaframehavingside bars, formed with bearings,grooves extending longitudinally in their outer faces from said bearingsto the rear end of the frame,

'adaptedio receive and retain the bail when turned down over the strap,cam-surfaces leading to said grooves, grooves in the outer faces of theside bars adapted to receive and retain the bail when turned over uponthe buckle, and a bail pivotally supported in the hearings in the frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. P. HUDSON, JEssE M. BOWMAN.

